In a move that has sent ripples through India’s political and media landscape, the Coalition for Progressive Change, a prominent alliance within the opposition INDIA bloc, has decided to take a stand against what they see as divisive journalism. They have released a list of 14 TV news anchors and their shows that they will actively boycott and avoid attending. This decision was made following a joint meeting of the coalition’s members, where they discussed their stance on certain media outlets and journalists.
Gaurav Gogoi, a prominent Congress Member of Parliament representing Assam, took center stage in announcing the coalition’s decision. He provided insights into the motivations behind this unprecedented move, stating that the primary reason for the Congress party’s decision to boycott specific TV news anchors and their shows is a deep-rooted desire “not to extend support to some journalists who are allegedly associated with the WhatsApp group of the ruling party’s media cell.” Gogoi emphasized that some of these journalists have faced accusations of contributing to the spread of hatred in the country, an act that the coalition views as a violation of the law.
The decision to compile a list of anchors and shows to boycott was reached during the first meeting of the Coalition for Progressive Change’s coordination committee, which was convened at the residence of Sharad Pawar, the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party.
Raghav Chadha, a Member of Parliament representing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), underscored the need to address the issue of certain anchors known for conducting provocative and divisive debates. The coalition aims to confront this issue directly by compiling a list and subsequently refraining from participating in their shows.
The list, which has been shared by multiple member parties within the coalition, includes the names of 14 news anchors from various media outlets. Among these prominent figures are Arnab Goswami from Republic Network, Sudhir Chaudhary from Aaj Tak, Amish Devgan from News18 Hindi, Navika Kumar from TimesNow, and Gaurav Sawant from the IndiaToday Group.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal revealed that the coordination committee has authorized a sub-group focused on media to make final determinations regarding the specific anchors whose shows none of the coalition parties will attend. This move underscores the coalition’s commitment to holding certain media personalities accountable for their actions and content.
In a related development, the Congress party has taken an additional step by deciding not to send its spokespersons to participate in television debates for a duration of one month. Additionally, they have made a public request to all media channels and editors to refrain from featuring Congress representatives on their shows during this period. This significant decision was communicated by senior party leader Randeep Surjewala through a prominent social media platform.
Apart from these media-related decisions, the Coalition for Progressive Change’s Coordination Committee has initiated discussions regarding seat-sharing arrangements in anticipation of the upcoming general elections. As these developments continue to unfold, it is becoming increasingly evident that the opposition’s coalition is taking proactive measures to assert its position both in the media landscape and the broader political arena. The decision to boycott certain news anchors and shows is a bold statement, highlighting their commitment to their principles and ideals. It remains to be seen how this move will impact the media landscape and political discourse in India.
